Archive of posts filed under the Videos category.

Programming

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I’ve never really considered myself a computer programmer. Sure, I understand bits of programming logic and can read some programming code, and I’ve written some applications, but I don’t really think of myself of a computer programmer. Maybe I am, but I don’t really think that way. I do admire and respect those that are, and if I am a computer programmer, I’m not really a good one.

What brought this up? I saw a video on Ada Lovelace.

[The YouTube]

It’s Ada’s birthday. Go program something.

Jerusalem

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When I post early morning items with historical connections, they’re usually things that happened a long time ago. Not today.

It was two years ago that President Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

[The YouTube]

History isn’t always things that happened a long time ago. Sometimes they’re things that are a long time coming.

Prohibition

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The United States banned alcohol the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” within the country after passage of the 18th Amendment. On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th. In the interim, some interesting things and interesting characters happened.

[The YouTube]

Celebrate responsibly.

Gemini 7

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As much as I followed the space program when I was younger — I remember watching Gemini launches, but not Mercury launches — I don’t have any memory of Gemini 7.

Its joint flight with Gemini 6A was amazing. Well, I thought it amazing when I found out about it later.

[The YouTube]

I don’t remember the launch, which was December 4, 1965. I don’t remember anything at all about it from the time, which disappoints me greatly. I wish I had those memories.

Blazing Comedy

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One of my favoritest movies of all time is Blazing Saddles. I could probably quote the entire dialog of the film, that’s how many times I have seen it. And I get a huge laugh from it every time.

Did you know that Richard Pryor was Mel Brooks’ choice to play Bart? Pryor was one of the writers of the film, but the studio wouldn’t let Brooks cast Pryor in the role. Probably a good idea, with Pryor’s known unreliability at the time due to his drug use.

[The YouTube]

Richard Pryor would have been 79 this past weekend.

Love That Chicken!

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Everybody knows that the United States bought Louisiana from France, right? But did you know that France didn’t own it? Spain did. But it’s okay.

For complicated reasons, Spain actually owned the territory of Louisiana — that whole big tract of land, not just the part that makes up the current state — when the U.S. was negotiating with France. Okay, they didn’t exactly own it, but … it’s complicated.

Here’s a pretty good summary of it all.

[The YouTube]

The part about where Spain officially transferred the property back to France on November 30, 1803 is what prompted this. So, was it a good idea? I think so. If not for it, would we even have a Popeye’s Chicken?